Peat-spatulating machine



F. FARROW. FEAT SPATULATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30, 1920.

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I vwewtoz I 040% a Ito'Lmaq g FARROW. FEAT SPATULATING MACHINE. APPLICATION mm OCT. 30, 1920.

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UNITED STATE FRANKLIN nAnnow,for WEST BBOOKSVILLE, MAINE.

PEAT-SV'PATULATING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patent d lua 17 1921 Application filed October 30, 1920. 'Serial No. 420,660.

ulating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a machine for pulverizing, compacting, and

grinding peat, clay and other similar ma- 7 terials.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character which in its grinding and compacting operation is adapted to rub or wipe against the material and thus separate and grind it bya spatulating action instead of the positive cutting or rolling of the material.

Another object of theinvention is to provide a relatively simple, portable machine constructed so that access may readily be had to the, various parts thereof; which comprises relatively few parts, and which has a spatulating cylinder or rotary part constructed to provide separate compartments in the spatulatingv chamber and also feeding means for conveying material during grinding lengthwise of the cutter for forcing the material to travel one or more complete times entirely about the cylinder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a peculiar arrangement of knives or cutters which are disposed at peculiar angles for effecting a rubbing and grinding action upon the material not only as the latter is initially fed to the machine, but also during the travel of the material throughout the entire length of the machine and which assist in the feeding of the material about the spatulator and throughout the length of the grinding chamber.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide improved inlet and exit means for the material and a novel means of discharge for conveying the material from the exit to a suitable. place of deposit where the material may be conveniently and easily carried off for use.

Theabove, and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be describedin and in part be understood from the following detailed description of the I present preferred embodiment, the same b' ing illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure l is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section of a peat spatulating machine constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an inner end view of the same,

.partlybroken away to show the mounting of the rotor in the cylinder;

F 1g. 3 is a detail fragmentary view in section of the rotor mountedin the cylinder, and showing the arrangement of the partitions and knives carried by the rotor:

Fig. 4 is a detail'sectional view taken through a part of the rotor, enlarged, and illustrating the 'mounting of the knives thereon; and i i i Fig; 5 is asimilar view showing in plan a portion of the rotor, with the knives thereon.

Referring; to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by similar numerals of reference throughout the several views, 10 designates a suitable frame substantially rectangular in form and elongated in one direction. Theframe is provided in its bottom portion with a platform 11 upon which may be mounted a motor 12 of any suitable type, such as an internal combustion engine to adapt the machine for easy transportation. v

' Within one end of the frame 10, herein designated as the inner end thereof is mounted in transverse fashion the operating mechanism. The same comprises a cylinder 13 made preferably in two halves,

an upper half and alower half. The halves are hinged each at 14 to the upper and connectthe free ends of the cylinder halves andthe upper and lowen portions of a second" transverse brace 17 also forming part of the frame 10 and-spaced forwardly I from the brace 15 and substantially in the same horizontal plane therewith,

This cylinder 13 is of barrel-like construction and comprises a plurality oflongi- "tudinally extending staves or sections presenting a smooth interior wall against which the" material to be ground is, adapted to be impacted, and the cylinder 13'is of substantially the same diameter throughout its length. The cylinder 13 is closed at opposite ends by heads 18 and is adapted to receive therein a rotor or spatulator.

The rotor is also preferably of cylindrical construction having end heads 19 of an ex terior diameter adapted to closely fit the inner wall oi the cylinder 13 and the heads 19 are adapted to lie in closely spaced relation with respect to the fixed heads 18 for utilizing the entire length of the cylinder 13. The heads 19 are of suitable construction and mounted on a shaft 20 having bear ing at opposite ends in journals 21 or the like supported upon longitudinally extending bars 22 mounted in the opposite sides ofthe frame 10 and substantially in the same vertical plane with the cross braces 15 and 17. The shalt 20 is thus mounted coaxially with respectto thecylinder 13 so as to support the rotor concentrically within the cylinder.

The body of the rotor may be constructed, as shown, of a plurality of slats 21 extending lengthwise of the rotor and riveted otherwise suitably secured at their opposite ends in the heads 19 to form with the heads a cylindrical hollow and relatively light body. The shaft 20 projects atone end through the adjacent head 18 and is adapted for eonnection with a driving HIEQJLSySllCh as the motor 12 in any suitable manner.

In the present. instance the shaft 20 is provided with a large pulley 23 and a smaller pulley The larger pulley 23 suuports a driving belt 25 which is trained over a pulley 26 on the motor 12. The smaller pulley 24- supports the upper turn of a belt 2? which is trained over a pulley 28 mounted upon a lower shaft 29.which extends for a short distance transversely of the frame 10 and beneath the ;:ylinder 13.

The shaft 29 is arranged at one side of the frame 10 and the adjacent end of the cylinder 13 is the outlet end thereof of sprocket wheels 30 is fixed upon the shait 29 to support an endless ronveyer 31, the

uaper leg of which moves past the lower.

i wardly beyond the forward end of the frame 10 a distance sufiicient to deliver the materlal on the conveyor at a 130.111 beyond the frame.

The rotor, generally designated as 21, is

A pai r 7 theribs or flanges 35 separate compartments through which the material being operated upon is adapted to travehthe flanges 35 separating the various streams of the material one from the other to maintain an even rinding action on the material durin r its passage through the machine.

, referably, the partitions 35 terminate in spaced relation from the opposite end heads 19, such as shown at one end in F 1g. 3 to permit the ready outlet of the ground material and to also receive the material at the receiving end ofthe cylinder 13.

The rotary member 21 is provided upon its peripheral surface and between the partitions or ribs 35 with spiralrows of teeth or cutters 36 secured to the slats 21 in a peculiarmanner. The teeth 36 are attached to the surface of the rotary member 21 in any suitable manner, such'as by the pro vision of flanges 37oon the inner ends of the teeth which are riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the slats. The teeth 36 are secured to extend obliquely across the surface of the rotary member and at sub stantially 30 to the longitudinal axis of the rotor, and the teeth 36 are inclined rearwardly, as regards the direction ofrotation.

of the member 21, at an angle of substantially 3G to the radii of the rotary member 21 its is shown in Fig. 1 the arrow 38 indi rates the direction of turning of the rotor, 21, the same beingiturned upwardly away from the conveyor 31 and the teeth 36 are shown as inclined downwardly toward the conveyor 31 at that side of the rotor which moves away from the conveyor. The action oi the teethagainst the material within the cylinder 13 is thus a rubbing action and consequently the material is compressed and pulverized or ground to the desired fineness.

The inlet end of the cylinder 13 is at one side oi the frame 10 and the cylinder 13 is provided thereat and in its upper or top section with a circum'terentially extending placed a depending spent 41 terminatingat its loweredge in close proximity tov the conveyor 31 and lie in a-plane above and substantially in parallel relation with respect to the upper leg of the" conveyer. f The material which passes through the cylinder 13; is thus delivered through the spout #11 directly on top of the conveyor 31 and, as the latter is operated the material is carried upwardly and the forward end of the frame 10 where it is delivered to any suitable receptacle or the like desired. The forward edge of the spout 41 acts as a baffle plate to regulate the thickness of the film of pulverized or ground material which is delivered to the conveyer.

As may be best seen from Fig. 3, the partitions or ribs 35 on the rotary member 21 extend from the surface of the member a distance sufficient to closely fit the inner -wall of the cylinder 13 while the teeth 36 stand out from the cylinder a lesser distance to provide between the teeth and the inner wall of the cylinder 13 a chamber through which the material is adapted to pass.

From the above description it is thought that the operation of the machine will be clear, for the material to be ground and treated is dumped intothe hopper 39 and falls by gravity on to the upper side of the rotary member 21 immediately beneath the hopper. The rotor is now operated and as it turns the spiral partitions or ribs 35 sepa rate the material into the two distinct spiral compartments formed between the rotor and cylinder 13, andthe teeth 36 on the inlet end of the rotor rub and out against the lower surface of the bulk of material which rests in the hopper 89. The material separated by the teeth 36 is thrown against the inner wall of the cylinder 13, and as the material collects in the chamber within the cylinder 13 it is rubbed, compacted, and ground by the action of the teeth.

The flanges or partitions 35 force the material to-travel in a spiral path between the rotor and the cylinder 13, one or more times around the inner wall of the cylinder before the material is liberated from the outlet opening 40. After the material is subjected to the rubbing and cutting action of the teeth 36- throughout the length of the cylinder 13 it is in a finely divided and compacted state and is in condition for flowing downwardly through the spout 41 on to the conveyer 31, the material being in such finely divided or ground form that the baffle or forward end of the spout 41 effectively smooths off the upper surface of the layer of the material which is deposited on the conveyer 31. a

As the material is thrown in bulk in the hopper 39 the feeding and treating of the material is continuous as long as the hopper 39 is maintained full of the material. There is thus a continuous and even outflow of the spatulated peat from the spout 41 and consequently a continuous and even delivery of i the comminuted material from the forward end of the frame 10.

Of course the frame 10 may be suitably inclosed if desired, although the particular illustration shows the structure of frame 10 as an open work structure for the purpose of clearly illustrating the parts of the machine.

mounted in the cylinder, said rotor havinga plurality of spiral rows of teeth upon its peripheral surface extending ,outwardly' therefrom and terminating in spaced relation from the inner wall of the cylinder whereby to provide a spatulating chamber between the teeth and the cylinder, said teeth being arranged to extend in planes oblique to the longitudinal axis of the rotor and being inclined backwardly with respect to the direction of rotation of the rotor whereby to effect a wiping action of the teeth against the body of material and to impel the material forwardly between the rotor and the cylinder.

2. In a peat spatulating machine, the com-' bination of a cylinder and a rotor in the cylinder, means for delivering material to one end of the cylinder, means for delivering material from the other end of the cylinder, and a plurality of teeth carried upon the peripheral surface of the rotor and extend- .ing in a general direction toward the inner wall of the cylinder to impinge material between the teeth and the cylinder, said teeth being inclined transversely at substantially 30 with respect to the axis of the rotor and being inclined rearwardly with respect to the direction of rotation of the rotor at substantially 30 whereby said teeth are adapted to effect a wiping action against the material in the cylinder and to advance the material forwardly therein.

- FRANKLIN FARROW. 

